®Planning appeal decision
Valley Farm Barn, Willow Green Lane, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire
Planning appeal 3272029 at Valley Farm Barn, Willow Green Lane, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire (Cheshire West and Chester) was dismissed on 16 July 2021 by Inspector Hitchcock R, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development within the Green Belt for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework and the relevant development plan policy.
conversion of redundant agricultural building to one residential unit
- Authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Hitchcock R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development within the Green Belt for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework and the relevant development plan policy
- whether or not the site lies in a suitable location for new residential development
- if the development is inappropriate, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development
What decided it
The extent of demolition and reconstruction required meant the proposal could not be regarded as a conversion of a substantial building, rendering it inappropriate development in the Green Belt for which very special circumstances had not been demonstrated.
the harm from inappropriate development in the Green Belt and harm to the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside was not clearly outweighed by the benefits of high-quality environmentally-friendly development, retention of a scarce building type, or the fallback position of commercial use
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy STRAT9Policy STRAT8Policy DM22
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 13Paragraph 146
- Judgments
- Hibbitt v SSCLG [2016] EWHC 2853
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.